Dark Wave from Architrave

Synthwave duo from Upstate New York, Architrave is comprised of Jennifer Maher Coleman, a veteran house music DJ and producer, and Paul Coleman of Sinkcharmer. The husband-and-wife duo are also members of synth-rock band Haley Moley with Jennifer as the frontwoman.

Drawing influence from a range of styles such as dance music, shoegaze, and post-punk, distinct echoes of artists like The Cure, New Order, The XX and Moroder ring clearly in their deep, dark sound.

Describing their sound as “dystopian and science fiction based” they incorporate the sleek, futuristic sounds of modern indie-dance rock to create their own brand of spaced-out dark synth pop. With their debut full-length release, 2020’s This Perfect Day, they delivered an uneasy mood driven by atmospheric synthesiser and tense lyrics. Although written and recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic fully hit America, the album’s apprehensive, dark tenor struck a chord upon its release for capturing the collective mood.

Now the pair return with their sophomore album, Future Ruins, a blistering journey through the very best of the dark wave style. Leaving behind many of the elements that defined their sound on the debut, with Future Ruins, they charge forward into new territory, exploring more innovative with luscious soundscapes full of infectious rich bass-lines and complex beats.

Their new sound takes inspiration from artists like PiL and Wire, especially apparent in Paul Coleman’s guitar and bass lines. Through each note and song you can hear the sounds and direction that make Architrave unique from other artists.

As an avid appreciator of architecture, Jennifer looks to the visual styles of futurism and brutalism to guide her sonic writing. But unlike brutalism, Future Ruins doesn’t alienate you. It invites you to explore every note, chord change, melody, and lyric. It encourages exploration and feeds curiosity.

From the opening track and lead single “Blissed Out”, to the kaleidoscopic album closing jam “Take It Slow”, the entire album showcases how much the band has grown since 2020. Jennifer Maher-Coleman’s vocals provide an atmospheric backdrop for themes of isolation, love, and dystopian unease, and proves that the band is on the path for bigger things ahead.

Listen to Future Ruins below

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